Sirius' Tomboy
by Selveyet
Summary: My five rules: 1. To make sure no-one knows the real reason why I left my ex-bestfriends. 2. To make sure no-one knows what my "relationship" with them was like. 3. To find new friends, anyone as long as they treat me as a friend. 4. Even though Remus said it's fine, don't get too close to the Marauders. 5. And don't let Sirius' ego trick him into thinking I'm one of his fangirls.
1. 1: Bum-tight kits

Sirius' Tomboy:

A/N: Okay kitties, this story is quite fast paced (well I think) so yeah, just a heads up... so yeah.

Disclaimer: I don't own this world J.K.Rowling has created.

Pairing: Sirius X OC

Rating: T : swearing (and bad language), innuendos, kissing and abuse.

"**Bum-tight** kits."

I left them I really did. Last day of fifth year away from the crowd surrounding the whole Snape, Lily and James drama.

I had little belief they would argue, ask me not to leave. And I was proven to be right when they didn't. They gave me the same pitied and disgusted look they seemed to save only for me and left, making me feel that the years we'd been together were a waste. But I couldn't stay with them if they were able to keep hidden something that they knew would affect me.

Now it's first day of sixth year and I'm speeding out of the dorm I shared with them, just remembering to grab my bag with my cat inside.

Yes, I kept Tulberry in my bag during lessons. It was one of the things I did that they bothered me for but I just don't care anymore.

My pace slowed down as I left the Gryffindor common room and I took a deep breath, realising with a sinking feeling that I had forgotten my cloak but there was no way I would go back in the dorm to get it.

I kept going, thoughts bouncing around my head, to be suddenly jolted back down to Earth as I heard a miaow.

I quickly lifted the lip of my satchel, apologising, "oops sorry T.B I forgot you were in there."

Her response was an annoyed growl letting me know she wasn't happy about it.

"Alright, alright keep your fur on, you know and I know that it was an accident," I stated, a small smile on my face.

She seemed to let me off because when I lifted the golden cat out to walk beside me she didn't give me one of her looks.

I carried on walking, thoughts not able to distance me from the cold of Hogwarts. I inwardly laughed at myself, at how I could have forgotten a cloak in September in Scotland.

Before my line of thinking could continue a question cut through them, "aren't you cold?"

The voice made me stop and turn around and I ended up staring into James Potter's muddy-brown eyes.

I noticed that he was with the other Marauders, who were looking at him as if he'd gone crazy save Remus. I almost snorted at their facial expressions - especially Peter's - but I didn't blame them because when did James Potter talk to me? Everyone knew I was the person you came to for comfort or to have someone to listen to your problems and not judge. That might be why everyone is able to be themselves around me and tell me their personal issues... Not that I had a problem with it, helping people always helped me forget my problems, if only for a while.

"Morning Rem." I waved at my friend I shared Ancient Runes with then shrugged at James' question, "yeah, it is, but I'm not going to get it in a hurry."

I watched the looks of confusion flash through three of the four boys' faces then realization.

"Oh! Shit, erm, sorry!" He stumbled over his words to get through his embarrassment. The school had obviously heard the news by now - I wasn't going to kid myself and say it hadn't. "I was going to offer you my cloak 'cause I don't use it anyway."

"No thanks," I declined with a wave of my hand, "I don't know if your eyesight's that bad but I'm not Lily. See ya."

His mouth opened and shut like a fish while Sirius howled with laughter, commenting, "she's got you there Prongs."

With that I turned around, carrying on down the hallway with Tulberry following closely behind. Was a relatively normal first day back so much to ask for?

"Faith wait!"

I only stopped to the shout of Remus. Remus never shouted, okay maybe sternly said something, but never shouted down a corridor.

I turned around to see his cheeks coloring in embarrassment but he didn't take back what he said back so I trudged back to them.

"Yeah?" I asked uncertainly, and going by the looks on the other guys' faces they didn't know either.

"Do you wanna hang out with us?" He asked, looking me in the eyes with a look that I couldn't place.

I fully expected the boys to grumble and argue but they seemed to see what Remus was seeing that I couldn't.

"You sure?" I asked, making sure he knew that even though we were friends I hadn't shown him me. I could name some people who couldn't handle me either. "I might be too... weird for you guys."

He snickered at my suggestion saying, "I've been stuck with these hyperactive loonies for years. Try me."

"Are you guys OK with this?" I double checked, looking at James and Sirius this time who seemed to be offended at what Remus had said.

Sirius seemed to snap out of it to answer my question, "if you can ridicule Prongs then you're fine with me."

I silently nodded picking up T.B. "This is my cat Tulberry, she's T.B for short." I ignored the snorts I got from her name and plowed on, "and she comes with me."

"What kind of name is that?" Sirius asked in disbelief.

My answer was quick on my tongue from the usual question. "You can't call a human an animal name so I can't call an animal a human name."

Both him and James seemed to stop and think about it before Remus reminded them, "I thought you were dying from hunger Sirius. Stating you just might die if you didn't get to some food in time?"

It seemed to send off a switch because suddenly Sirius suddenly shouted, "last one to the table fancies Snape!"

He ran off and thinking why not, I gave Peter T.B, ignoring his squeek of surprise, and took off after him.

Weeks of guilt from second thoughts and worry for the future were all I felt in the Summer holidays. Mourning also took up a large part of the break and finally able to let out a laugh made me smile.

I was soon gaining Sirius when I laughed again. I guess he was surprised I was able to keep up with him by the way he almost tripped over his own feet. Who knew Sirius Black could be a klutz?

I slowed down with him and declared, "I guess James has a secret thing for Snape."

Sirius let out a bark-like chuckle at my suggestion. "What would we tell Lily?"

I snorted as I surveyed the hall we were in; a few down from the rest of the Marauders.

"How'd you run so fast and your not tired?" Sirius asked, looking at me in puzzlement.

I shrugged, "I'm alright at sports but I exercise mostly for quidditch."

He raised a dark eyebrow at me then, "but your not on the team."

"I know, but I play it at home. On breaks I play it with my family were a big bunch." I idly noticed I hadn't shared that tidbit of information with them but I was sharing something with Sirius of all people.

"Then why don't you try out?"

We had started wandering down the corridor and I was glad I didn't have to look at him right then.

"My... previous friends thought quidditch was a sport for girls wanting to go and drool over 'hot boys' in

'bum-tight kits'."

"Oh really?" His hands fell over his heart in mock disbelief, "You think I'm hot? I'm flattered."

I was waiting for his ego to appear.

I sniggered at his antics. "Dream on Sirius, dream on."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked, eyebrows ruffled.

I let out one of my weird laughs. "I've never had a kiss, date, crush or lost my virginity and I don't wish to do any of those."

He looked startled for a moment at my brazenness but then asked, lips pursed, eyelashes fluttering, "would you like to do any or all of those things with me?"

I couldn't help it I let out a long snicker, having to lean on a wall when my legs couldn't handle it.

Sirius looked upset at me laughing at him, "your so mean."

Him looking like a kid upset for not being allowed to have ice cream, made me chortle even harder.

"What have you cast on Faith Sirius?" I recognized the voice, it was Remus' and he seemed pretty annoyed.

Before Sirius could answer I calmed myself down enough to speak, "everything that comes out of his mouth is ridiculous."

Remus suspiciously nodded and I kept in my laughter but then I saw Peter looking at Tulberry as if she might eat him, and I couldn't hold it in. All the boys looked at me with various looks of shock, minus Sirius, but they all had a smile on their faces so at least with this lot I was able to partially be myself. More than I could say for them anyway.

James came over to me to lend me a hand and I guiltily apologized. "Sorry for taking a dig at you earlier."

He shrugged, pulling me up, and his impossibly messy curls moved with him. "Nah, it's my fault."

"What?" I asked in fake shock, as I took T.B from a slightly terrified Peter (he really did look threatened by her). "You actually thought I was Lilly?"

The guys laughed as James protested. "No, no I didn't! I just thought you would..."

His voice went into a quiet mumble at the end of the sentence but whatever he muttered made him blush and turn away.

"What was that Prongs? I didn't catch it?" Sirius tauntingly asked, coning his hands around his ear.

"Sod off Padfoot!" He exclaimed then started rubbing his neck, face red. "Alright, I said I thought you would put in a good word about me and Lily would hear."

Smirking while stroking Tulberry I responded, "one Lily doesn't like me-"

"Why? I get why she doesn't like Prongs..." Sirius cut me off with a cheeky grin, earning himself a punch in the arm.

"Hmm," I pondered over it for a moment. "I think it's because of how I'm more liked? Maybe? A lot of people do come to talk to me..."

I let myself to mull over it for a few seconds before adding, "and number two I thought you liked Snape?"

At his blanched face, Sirius and I laughed, and he, unsurprisingly a few inches taller than me, flinged an arm around my shoulders.

"I think, Faith Wilson, you and I will get along just fine."


	2. 2: You're so dead

Sirius' Tomboy:

A/N: This chapter has a side of James that I nicked from the fanfic "Coconuts and Lily Evans" by Moonstone. I suggest you go check it out. ;)

Disclaimer: I don't own this world J.K.Rowling has created.

"You're **so** dead."

The Great Hall door swung open to the sounds of our laughs and jeers at James' non-existent love life.

First I noticed the eyes. They were cutting, brutal and most of all envious, and I did not like the attention one bit.

"Hey guys?" The boys' gazes turned to me with looks akin to curiosity, "erm, are there always this amount of eyes?"

They all seemed confused at my question except Peter. "Yes, there is."

Hopefully I asked, stroking Tulberry's head for comfort, "did you ever get used to them?"

Peter just shook his head and said truthfully, "I'm still not used to them now."

I think my face must have shown my unease because Sirius slung an arm around my shoulders again promising, "I'll protect you from danger."

I shrugged his arms off, mainly because the jealous glares intensified. "Sirius in all honesty, I think your a danger to yourself."

At James', Remus' and Peter's snickers, I gave him an innocent smile.

He adjusted his shocked face into one of mock sadness. "I thought you were on my team, us against Prongs remember?" He added with a fake whimper. "I feel-I feel so betrayed!"

James still chuckling slightly, slung his arm around my shoulders (what is it with these guys and shoulders?) and smugly said, "ahh Padfoot I always knew I was more attractive than you."

I couldn't help but mumble, "definitely seems that way with the girlfriend you have."

James face turned to a look of horror while the rest of the guys let out guffaws. "You have just committed treason against King James. I cannot have you on my side anymore, Peter will take your place."

Peter just shook his head humorously with a small smile on his face when I glanced at him.

But Sirius seemed to be pleased, "I knew that was just an act and she's really on my side of this war."

I just snorted, "I have my own kingdom far away from egoistical boys."

Remus grabbed Sirius's arm, making us move along from our stop in the middle of the hall. "As much as I enjoy listening to you lot talk history and make sense for once, we came here to eat."

"Oh yeah." The Sirius and James synchronised, Peter looking incredulous that they could have forgotten such a thing.

I glanced at the space on the bench that I always sat with them and I wasn't all that surprised to see Marlene Mcminnon sat there as my replacement. But even though I knew what to expect, it didn't seem to lessen the pain. Best way to start the morning you know - a sprinkling of pain.

Before I could proceed with my thoughts I felt a light but warm pressure on my head. I looked up and for the second time today into James' brown eyes. His gaze was sad but not pitiful and he didn't need to say a word and I soaked in his weird way of support. Guess James isn't all like Lily says.

Wait-when do I ever listen to Lily? Maybe I was going crazy, like literally crazy. All my decisions this morning pointed to it. Like how the hell I'd ended up going to breakfast with the Marauders.

I sent a quiet thank you to James and followed the quiet Peter, loud Sirius being pulled by a sarcastic Remus and smiled. Maybe there was a chance I could fit in to this crazy circus group.

"So what do you like?" Asked James, as we sat down at their "part" of the Gryffindor table. Thankfully on the opposite side to them and nearer the end closer to the Teachers Table. I suspect it was so Sirius could shout ridiculous things to McGonagall. Proclamations of 'love' being one of those things.

"What do you mean?" I ended up sitting in between him and Sirius, facing Remus and Peter.

I'm starting to think that Peter found solace in being near Remus when around Sirius and James and I don't blame him. Both of them are unpredictably crazy. Well, crazier than me at least.

"What you like to eat," simplified Peter in between inhaling food. The English Breakfast seemed to vanish before it landed on his plate.

I thought about it for a moment while setting T.B on the table to look for her own food, she was unusual like that. "I like toast, scrambled egg, jam on toast, frosty flakes, butter on toast, bagels, beans on toast and teacakes."

"So you definitely like toast." Sirius commented thoughtfully.

"Well no shit Padfoot, she likes gingerbread men." James said sarcastically.

"I like those too you know." I added while I reached out for some buttered bagels.

Remus chuckled, "is there anything you don't like?"

"Tomatoes." My voice was filled with hate for the fruits sent from hell. Don't even try and convince me otherwise.

"Like this tomato." James pulled a large juicy slice of the disgusting thing near my face. In self defence, I leaned into Sirius to get away from it.

"Yep those... things," I answered quickly, my back flush with Sirius' side as James brought it closer to my face.

I could see and smell the revolting juice dripping off the fruit. I knew what tomatoes could do in the hands of some people and I detested the fruit because of it.

"Prongs don't make me find a coconut." Sirius warned as he had to stabilize me with his two arms to stop me from pushing him sideways off the bench.

"You wouldn't-" James started but he didn't finish because I used wandless magic to transfigurate it into a coconut.

Anything for those evil things to be away from me. But it isn't like I use wand magic that much anyway. Protecting yourself is hard when people take away your wand.

The reaction was instant. James screamed and flung the fruit (nut?) into the air and I mentally changed it back into a tomato before the offending nut (I'm going with that) could hurt anyone. That's when James dived under the table.

I wondered why I was shaking - well more than earlier - till I realized it was Sirius silently laughing and his hands holding me up were wracking with sniggers.

"What's so funny?" I asked, my breaths evening out when I realised the stench of the tomato was gone.

Remus answered for him with a sigh, "I've given up trying to understand his way of thinking."

It took a while but Sirius finally gasped between snickers, "your... both... scared... of... food!"

I pushed myself off him, and huffed upright, "like your not scared of anything!"

Before I could further protest my actions a shriek cut through the normal sounds at breakfast. Having been with everyone in my year for six years I knew that shriek from anywhere. It was Lily's.

All of us turned our gazes to her, even Peter, who stopped inhaling food a small country could eat in a day, which was rather impressive, to look.

Her naturally wavy hair was stained with tricking tomato juice and tomato itself had landed in the center of her forehead.

Through the silence Sirius spoke up sympathetically, "aww Prongs, you're so dead."

James got out from where he was hiding from the coconut (well it was a fruit again so) to look at Lily.

Everyone in the hall could feel the chill of terror that was emanating off James.

He winced, I winced, everyone in the Great Hall winced. Lily slowly peeled the repulsive fruit off her head as the entire Hall held their breath.

Her voice was calm but for all the wrong reasons and it sent shivers up my spine as well as everyone else's. "Potter. Would you like to tell me why there was a tomato slice on my head?"

James ducked his head in shame, "because I threw a coconut in the air."

The confusion in the Great Hall was palpable.

"What do you mean 'threw a coconut'?" Her eyes narrowed as she asked the question.

James had to choose between a knock at his pride or death and I could tell which one Sirius wanted by the way he was quietly chanting, "di-e, di-e."

James' head ducked down lower and even though he mumbled his response it could be heard in the silence of the Hall.

He simply said, "I don't like coconuts so I threw it away from me."

Lily's placid face moved into a frown then as soon as it appeared it she schooled her features and stood up.

The tension in the hall grew as she slowly walked over to us, eyes on James. Even Sirius looked like he was starting to feel scared by the way his eyes flickered between the composed Lily and the terrified James.


	3. 3: Milk's the best!

Sirius' Tomboy:

A/N: I'm still using a side of James that I nicked from the fanfic "Coconuts and Lily Evans" by Moonstone. It's a long one-shot but go check it out it's great.

Disclaimer: I don't own this world J.K.Rowling has created because (pfft!) Sirius Black would never have died. He was too hot to die, don't you guys understand?

"What **are** you on about? Milk's the best!"

Lily Evans' footsteps echoed in the silence of the Great Hall and I idly wondered if James would actually die. But looking over to the teachers table Dumbledore wasn't in any state of worry, in fact his blue eyes were twinkling in amusement.

Lily stopped right in front of James and I could hear, rather than see him gulp. But then a familiar smell I hated entered my nose. Freaking tomatoes!

My eyes darted over to where the fruit was being held in Lily fist. The red juice that was dripping down her hand was easily contrasting against her porcelain skin.

"So you don't like coconuts?" Lily asked slowly as if thinking over something.

"Yeah I said that before didn't I?" James responded nervously, his eyes wide behind his glasses.

Whatever they were saying went right over my head as I fully focused on the fruit in Lily's hands. Slowly the hand relaxed then started moving backwards then forward in one swift movement.

Knowing what was going to happen I squished my face into Sirius's chest with a shout of (so what if I was touching the school's heartthrob but I wasn't going to worsen my phobia again), "not today!"

Then came the noise I was waiting for the squelch of that fruit hitting innocent skin, a harsh breath then more silence.

But...

"Faith, Faith, you've got to look." Sirius breath warm on my neck from the position we were in, his words choked up with laughter.

I didn't move for a moment but them Sirius started shaking me with ridiculous vigor, his hands easily finding their way to my shoulders.

With a groan, I carefully pulled my face from the place that was safe of certain red fruits to look up at him. "What is it?"

"Just. Look." His words were reduced to whispers by the amount of laughter he was trying to keep at bay.

I lifted myself off him and turned around to see a sight.

Lily wasn't aiming for me at all, despite my reflex, but she got the next best thing: James.

Over the journey from her hand to James' face the tomato had been transfigured into what I'd recently learnt was James' worst fear.

His face was covered in coconut pulp and Lily's palm was still rubbing it in, his glasses were taking the brunt of it. Her face was alight with satisfaction while James was frozen, his mouth gaping in a silent never-ending scream.

A few seconds later it seemed like Lily was done with her piece of 'art' as she stood a step away to analyse James not unlike a painter with their creation.

She snapped out of it within a second with a, "Come on girls, let's go."

Like a shoot for a movie, her friends stood up in one fluid motion, looking as if they walked out of the Great Hall with everyone's eyes on them everyday. Oh wait. They did. The girls went with the swishes of their school-appropriate skirts and left behind the silent Great Hall.

"What are we gonna do with you Prongs?" Sirius' amused sigh seemed to reach every person's ears and like a switch, the mutterings and talk of the students of Hogwarts returned.

"J-james are you alright? Remus is he alright?" Peter's worried voice was just heard over the chattering.

Sirius cut in before Remus could speak, "Wormy he's just been lathered in his worst nightmare but by the best person he could dream of."

Remus raised his eyebrows and said, "for once I agree with Sirius, Peter, so he should be fine after a while like the several other times Lily 'touched' him."

Sirius snorted, "Those touches definitely weren't gentle."

"No innuendos," I interrupted. "I've not even drank a cup of milk yet."

"And whose milk would that be?" Sirius asked, a crap-eating grin on his face.

I slapped his chest repeatedly for every word. "No. Innuendos. Until. I've. Had. My. Morning. Milk."

"Oh, so it's yours. Kinky." His grin grew at my exasperated face.

I tried not to laugh and ignored him as hitting seemed not to work in shutting him up. He didn't stop did he? Was this what the girls liked about him? His annoyingness?

I stood up talking to Remus and Peter since James seemed to be out for the count and I was still ignoring Sirius. "I'm going down the table to look for milk and maybe spot Tulberry."

Peter spoke up clearly despite the amount of food in his mouth, okay now that was impressive. "Isn't there any here?"

"No." I answered, if there was I would have smelt it ages ago... and I would have drank it all, I thought with a wince. I'm a terrible milk hoarder. I guess after all these years, Tulberry's tendencies have rubbed off on me.

I waved and strolled down the Gryffindor table, scouting for the drink and T.B but careful of not being close enough to them. I wasn't going to tempt fate now was I? I wanted to get through my first day back more or less as I started: unscathed.

"Hiya." I had approached Ebony Richards and her friends who sat around her.

"Hi!" She and the girls all smiled when they saw me. "Thanks for helping me last year."

"Nah, it was fine," I smiled back at the black-haired girl. "How is your dad anyway?"

"He's recovered very well, since I came crying to you!" She laughed.

"Like I said at the time and I'll say again, it's no problem. You were going through a hard time anyone would want help through that."

Then she did what I wasn't expecting; she jumped up and hugged me.

"It's alright...erm...are you alright?" I awkwardly raised my arms and copy her actions.

It had been a... while since I'd had hugs from people outside family members. Her eyes were shimmering and I couldn't help but raid my mind of anything I could have said to hurt her.

"No, I'm just being being silly," she giggled using one hand to rub her blue eyes. "Is there anything I could do to pay you back?"

"Erm..." Kind of embarrassed with the prolonged hug (I needed to work on that) I asked, "have you seen my cat?"

"Yeah!" She giddily answered, "I saw her prowling around earlier so I gave her some of my scrambled egg."

Thankfully she let go of me as I playfully responded with, "the only thing that you could pay me back by is lending me your jug of milk."

The three girls all laughed, happy looks in their eyes as they gave me the jug of my favourite drink of all time. Yep, Tulberry definitely has rubbed off on me.

"See you later girls and if there's anything bothering you remember you can always talk to me about it." I reminded them, my heart light with the happiness I could see in Ebony's past sad eyes.

At their nods and goodbyes I turned around in the Marauders direction but not before catching a glimpse of the grinning female who had replaced me in my ex-group: Marlene Mcminnon.

It immediately damped my happy mood and I sighed. I still didn't understand why she hated me since even when I used to hang around people who hated her, I was still always nice to her like I was to everyone else. I frowned then plastered a fake smile on my downcast face in case the boys saw me. Why is life so complica-

My thoughts were interrupted when I almost tripped over my feet and the jug of milk almost spilled everywhere. The only reason I had thrown off the hex I recognized as the leg-lock jinx was because...

I whipped my neck around to catch sight of Mary McDonald smirking at the others and I wondered why her tripping me up with a hex didn't surprise me.

Aren't my old friends delightful.

Or maybe Fate just really wanted me to suffer.

I carried on the journey to the Marauders side of the table keeping up the happy facade.

"Are you okay?" The concerned tone on Remus was startling and almost made me drop the jug again. Why do I keep making people who actually care about me worry?

"Yeah, yeah, fine." I lied, placing the milk jug hard on the table but light enough so a drop wasn't spilt.

"Most people after being hexed by a leg-lock don't usually feel fine after." Sirius said, carefully taking the jug from in front of me and pouring the milk into my goblet. A frown was pulling at the corner of his mouth as he avoided looking at me.

"Yeah they're normally hurt." Carried on Peter rubbing a non-existent bruise on his cheek that he sported when the Marauders clashed with Malfoy and the older Slytherins last year. The bruise was there for weeks.

My eyes widened and danced between their faces, "you guys know?"

"We all know," Remus but in softly. "The question is why you were able to throw it off like second nature?"


	4. 4: So he's in Lily-land?

Sirius' Tomboy:

A/N: if you fail at all things, just make sure you can yeet the people who get in your way — selveyet

Disclaimer: Nope, nopey, nope. I don't own the world of HP because if I did Hogwarts would only allow in cats for students.

"So... he's in **Lily-land**?"

"Let's first focus on, erm, reviving James." I dodged the question then tried to smile but the fake thing easily slid off my face.

The three boys gave each other looks and gestures, well only Sirius made the exaggerated gestures, but I couldn't understand any of it if I tried. It was something I'm only close enough to my siblings to do so these guys must be close. Wait—what am I on about? They're the frigging Marauders.

"Then let's get started." Remus said, only giving me a pointed look that told me I wasn't off the hook and turned his attention to the still-frozen James.

Sirius's small frown didn't leave his face as he glanced at me and it almost made me tell them the truth there and then. Happy people aren't supposed to look so troubled.

But then he told me, "drink your milk," and turned to face Remus.

I silently followed his order and watched as he asked Remus, "so can I wake up James now?"

Remus sighed like the answer was going to hurt him and he said, "Yes. But don't hurt him as much as last time."

Sirius winked, most of his sadness gone. That's good. "I'm sorry Moony, but you must know by now that I can't make many promises I can keep."

"But you gave him a bruise last time." Peter highlighted and I almost choked on my drink, how hard does he hurt his friends to make them bruise? But my ex-friends have done worse so I can't really say anything...

"And...?" Sirius' eyebrows ruffled as if trying to get what the problem was. I swear he's crazy.

"Just hurry up Sirius." Remus groaned looking like it was near the time of his transformation.

He had told me he was a werewolf last year when something happened concerning him and Severus Snape. Remus looked so sad at the time and I knew he blamed himself and he distanced himself from the guys but after a few talks over a few weeks, I finally got him to realise that it was an accident, what ever 'it' was.

"Jeez Moony, where's your trust in me?" Sirius moaned dramatically.

Remus gave him a look similar to Tulberry's stricter ones. Hey!—where was my cat anyway?

"OK. OK. I won't hurt him that much." He seemed to be as scared of Remus' look as I was of T.B's.

Sirius swiftly stood up and stepped around me to James and said in a sing-song voice, "Prongs if you don't respond in ten seconds I will do what happened to you last time."

I stopped drinking my milk to ask a question. "What's Sirius going to do?"

Peter grumbled when it was clear Remus wasn't going to answer, "bruise James' arm again."

I just absently nodded and turned back to watch Sirius.

"7... 6... 5... 4, 3, 2, 1, Punch time!" Sirius exclaimed, speeding up halfway through the countdown.

Before I could blink, Sirius swung his arm back and punched James' arm when he brought it forward.

"Bloody hell!Padfoot!" James shouted as he clutched his arm. "What in Merlin's pants was that for!?"

I seemed like pain was the only way to bring back James from Lily-land. A world of pain.

"Sirius I told you not to go hard on him." Remus annoyedly moaned through his fingers that covered his face. By the way he was acting it was clear he didn't like seeing any of his friends in pain. I wish I could say the same for them.

"I'll have you know that's impossible because I am straight." Sirius said with a smirk that rivaled Malfoy's.

I turned around on the bench to kick him on the leg and muffled my snort when I saw how irritated James looked. I wordlessly cast a scourgify on his glasses so Sirius could see the daggers I could just feel coming off James.

Sirius let out a groan of hurt, distracted, and I laughed at his pain, "ha, ha! That's what you get for not listening to me and purposely being annoying."

I was possibly injuring one of the school's icons and I didn't really care. What was the world coming to?

James grabbed Sirius as he stood up and made to take a hit at him but Sirius slipped out of his grasp.

"Come back here, you dog!" James shouted as he chased after him down the Gryffindor table after Sirius.

The kick I gave him sadly didn't seem to injure him as much as I wanted, judging by the way he was easily running.

Sirius shouted cheerfully, "sorry James, can't let you do that. My handsomeness needs to be shown to the world!"

I looked at the figures running around the Great Hall with amusement, "Rem, are they gonna be alright?"

His hands seemed to be permanently stuck to his face but he smiled slightly saying, "this happens every time. Sometimes James gets him, sometimes he doesn't but it isn't normally in front of the whole school."

I suddenly felt a small, warm body brushing against my leg and I breathed a sigh of relief. "Tulberry, where have you been?"

"You found her?" Peter asked slightly nervous, while Remus pulled away the hands I believed were superglued to his face.

"Yep!" And I lifted her from underneath the table over the near-empty plates and into Remus' now free arms. "It's your turn to hold her now Rem!"

However Tulberry seemed more focused on climbing Remus' neck and lying there, than just letting him hold her.

"Is-is this normal because animals usually hate me—" Remus started looking anxiously at Tulberry.

I knew he was thinking that she should hate him because he was a werewolf but I was ready to dismiss that thought.

She loved my uncle Stephen and he was one. T.B and Stephen were attached to the hip whenever he visited and it took catnip and a bunch of treats to pull them apart when it approached the end of a holiday.

"Rem it's fine. Her lying on your neck means she really likes you." I stated while I chuckled at Peter, who was nervously moving away from T.B.

But before I finished Remus was shaking his head, "you don't need to humor me."

"I'm not," I argued, ready to stop Remus doubting himself again. "She only does that to me and my uncle, who, btw, is a werewolf Remus, and it now seems like she'll forever do it to you too."

I gave him a moment for what I said to settle in his mind, "just because you are what you are, doesn't mean you should always be expecting the worst thing to happen."

Tulberry miaowed and rubbed her nose against his neck in agreement, "maybe it helps so you don't gain hope to lose it but when the best thing that happens happens, don't disbelieve it."

I smiled when Peter leaned over, carefully distancing himself from T.B he gave Remus an awkwardly arranged hug. But it was a hug nonetheless (it was better than the ones I could give anyway).

"You look too sad," was the only warning we got before a coconut-y James appeared behind Remus and Peter, and threw his arms over their shoulders.

"I'm happier now." Remus said, a sincere smile on his face. Happy people look much better when they're happy.

"OK," James said, all earlier anger gone but he still hugged his friends while coconut pulp dripped down his face.

Before there was another moment of peace, a now bruised Sirius appeared near James with a complaint. "Why aren't I in the hug?"

I covered my snickers with my beautiful drink of milk I had unforgivably left on the table.

When no-one answered he strode up to the Remus-hug and added himself to the pile, "Now it's complete because nothing's complete without me, Sirius Black."

"I don't think the Great Hall is big enough to hold your ego Sirius." I added, chuckling at his comment about himself.

As we laughed at him trying to think of a comeback, Professor McGonnagall click-clacked over to us.

"What is all this ruckus about, and so early in the morning?" She asked, her question aimed at the coconut-covered James and the ever-rowdy Sirius.

"Nothing Minnie, we're just giving Mooney some emotional support." Sirius said with a wink that made Remus' eye twitch.

'Minnie' sighed in defeat at his nickname for her. No matter how many times she had told him to stop and all the detentions she gave him, he just wouldn't.

"Well, I hope Mr Lupin is feeling better," McGonnagall said sincerely. "Here are your timetables for this year. Try to be better behaved."

Sirius just sent her another wink this time accompanied by a finger gun, "can't make you this promise Minnie but I can make one that involves a ring."

Having been subjected to Sirius for now the sixth year, McGonnagall knew it was best to just carry on walking down the table to pass out the rest of the Gryffindor time tables.

"Aww, rejected Padfoot!" James laughed as he slapped him on the back when they ended the Remus-hug.

"Whatever Jamsie, I'll get her someday," Sirius promised, "unlike you with Lily."

But the joke that normally knocked a bit off James ego surprisingly added to it.

"But Pads, you seem to forget that she willingly touched my face and let me just say she wasn't repulsed." James proudly stated.

"Blah, blah, blah," Sirius said, mimicking James. "You say it as if she was feeling something else."

Remus, who was surveying his time table with T.B, promptly choked on air while Peter tittered and I howled with laughter. Why did I find his dirty jokes hilarious? But they were high standard jokes. I wonder if he created them on the spot.

"Normally I'd... be hitting... him but..." I tried to explain to Remus' look but didn't get much more out through my laughter as the boys made their way to sit down.

"It's alright Faith, you don't need to deny my hilaribility." Sirius stated as he plonked down in his seat.

"Yeah, of course that word is real and of course you're hilarious Padfoot. I'm sure it's not that people just laugh at your ugly mug." James grumbled. I think we had made fun of him a bit much this morning.

"Stop being a moany-pants James you know we're only messing." Sirius advised absentmindedly while he messed with his hair. "What have you got first lesson anyway?"

He stretched around me and swiped James' timetable from him when he didn't answer. "Hah! You've got Care of Magical Creatures first!"

"You say it as if you forget I chose that." James mumbled. Yep, definitely a tad too much this morning.

"James remember," I leaned over to my left to whisper to him. "You still have a chance with Lilly and he, unsurprisingly, has none with McGonagall."

It seemed like the words did the trick as he snorted and rolled his eyes at Sirius.

"What are you two whispering about?" Sirius, the gossip, wanted to know.

"None of your business." I stated back with a knowing smile.

"Hmph, meanies. What lesson do we have first Moony?" Sirius asked boredly.

"Why don't you look yourself. You went all that way to get James' what's stopping you from getting your own?" Remus asked dryly.

"It's effort I can't be bothered doing." Sirius replied lazily, his head resting on the table.

"We've got Ancient Runes, lazybones." I said, putting my timetable in my bag after I'd checked.

"Yes! Professor Brent is my fave." Sirius said with sudden happiness, standing up. "Can we leave now?"

"Your so lucky that you've got Mr Brent. He's well better than Professor Kettleburn. She hates me." James complained, following Sirius in standing up.

"You mean she finds you totally annoying." Sirius said matter-of-factly.

Wait - so these guys eat food, get hit by food, run around and then leave?

"What?" I asked, lost.

I never really kept track of popular people's lives. Well until now that is.

"We're going to first lesson now. Well, we normally do once the lot of them have stopped mucking about." Remus said, standing up while being careful not to make Tulberry fall.

She was determined to keep her spot on Remus' neck and I almost laughed at the familiar scene. Almost.

But I pulled a face as I rose from my seat, "are any of your lives simple?"

"With my wonderful parents, Slytherin duels and a 'furry little problem' I think not." Sirius answered, counting along on his fingers.

"Ok, ok but what do you mean your parents?" I cautiously asked.

I had heard rumours about Sirius's life that went around the school. And the things said about his parents weren't 'wonderful' at all. They sounded just as wonderful as my old friends are.

"Nothing. Nothing for you to worry about." Sirius said briskly and stood up. I guess it wasn't something to be talked about with a virtual stranger. I don't blame him.

"Are we going?" Peter questioned, looking dejected at the food magically refilling on the empty plates.

"Sorry Pete, we might sneak into the Kitchens later on for you." James added, as he picked up his bag.

At the mention of the Kitchens, Peter's eyes lit up but that didn't stop him from picking up a bacon rasher from the table as walked.

"Why don't you have something healthy, like apples Wormy?" Sirius moaned, picking up the fruit from a random person and gave them a wink in return.

He seemed to have worn off the quiet spell and was back to normal. Guess it was impossible for people like Sirius to be silent for a long time.

"Because bacon tastes nicer." Peter argued, stuffing the rasher in his mouth before anyone could say otherwise.

"Can't argue with him there Padfoot,'' James commented while Remus and I nodded.

"Whatever, but just in case, catch Wormy." With that short warning Sirius threw the green apple over the table to Peter.

Peter let out a squeak of surprise that was similar to the one he let out when he held Tulberry. Then he held out both hands towards Sirius to catch the fruit and doing it successfully but-

He hit into the side of the table and shook the apple bowl at the end off it.

And the apples piled into a pyramid inside that towards the floor.


	5. 5: That kind of message in a plane?

Sirius' Tomboy:

Disclaimer: How could I own H.P when I was born nine years after the first book came out? Ha try say something to that lawsuits.

A/N: I was summoned by my demon clan. Don't ask or I'll have to use you as a sacrifice to the beast of procrastination.

"Who puts **that** kind of message in a plane anyway?"

When the apples fell my mind was screaming at me to react. I could easily stop them from falling with my wandless magic but that would mean doing so in front of the school. I didn't want everyone to know or it would it would put me in the limelight of people like Lilly or the Marauders. And I really disliked the eyes.

Remus hadn't noticed the falling fruit yet (what was up with the fruit today?) since he was walking in front of Peter, holding Tulberry but the others certainly had.

Everything was moving in slow motion as the dozen of apples fell. Who piles a lot of 3D circles into a pyramid anyway? But what kept circling my mind was should I use mental magic to catch them or let them fall.

Both James and Sirius stretched out to catch some but it was obvious they were too slow. How did I get myself into these situations again? Oh yeah, because I wanted to break away from toxic friendships.

When the apples froze before they could hit the ground both Sirius and James' eyebrows ruffled in confusion.

"Never knew you were advanced in nonverbal magic Faith." Sirius commented while I winced.

This caused the other guys to turn around and look at me if they weren't already. I knew I looked sheepish and embarrassed to be caught doing it, even though it was an advanced skill — especially for fresh sixth-years. But it would save us all from a grilling from Remus if the apples did drop. To avoid looking at them I focused on quickly positioning the apples back into the pyramid they were in the bowl.

"Let's carry on guys, lessons to get to and all!" I said, a little too happy to be normal because who was happy for lessons?

However the boys went along with my crap acting skills and I was thankful when Sirius started an argument about quidditch teams with James in the short distance to the doors. But I still left a wide space between me and my ex-friends. I wasn't risking another of Mary's trademark leg-locking jinxes. The guys somehow noticed last time and I didn't want to explain what happened.

Saying that you were tied up target for hexes and jinxes on many occasions because your friends needed to practice, isn't something you can just casually say. But then arguing that it ended up being useful because you could easily escape it when they later tried to use them on you in anger, wasn't either.

"See yous later." I looked up to see James and Peter waving as they stood near the doors to the outside of the castle.

I waved back at them as they went to Health and Care of Magical Creatures and followed Sirius and Remus who still had T.B slouching on his neck like a scarf.

I didn't want to say anything that would make them ask about my magic capabilities because that would lead to... to things I wasn't able to talk about. So I chose to stay silent.

Remus knowing just the right thing to do, asked, "is Ancient Runes your favourite subject?"

I inwardly sighed in relief at the question and replied, "no DADA is my favourite because in DADA it's about reaction and instincts and keeping on your toes. But I still like A.R though."

"If you were going to say Transfiguration Prongs would have throttled you." Sirius quietly joked. He'd been silent for a while. More quieter than when he had caught me trip on Mary's leg-lock.

Remus nodded. "It's James' area of expertise that he says he's 'iconic' for."

I smiled a little and added rather thoughtlessly, "I also like how it teaches you how to protect yourself from anything and everything."

"Why do you get into secret fights with Slytherins?" Sirius asked jokingly.

I froze for a second startled about how easily I let out a truth that big before stammering, "n-no it's b-becoming more and more important to know erm... self defence! Yeah with Voldemort around, I mean."

Sirius nodded, face so solemn that I felt guilty that I had lied. "No one's safe with old Voldy around."

It was quiet for a moment but then Remus said, "but there are good wizards fighting against him so that's good."

We all nodded. And before any of us could say anything more we were joining the small line of students outside the Ancient Runes classroom.

Most people in A.R show up early so there were some of the class already inside the classroom and Mr Brent was greeting everyone at the door.

Mr Brent was a young teacher, probably the youngest out of them all at Hogwarts but what he lacked in age he made up for in personality. He didn't act like he was better than any of us just because of his age which we were grateful for. He liked when we questioned him, had a little banter with anyone that wanted to, mainly with Sirius about who looked better, and he always smiled. Personally I was surprised that he didn't have any wrinkles from the amount of smiling he did. But we still learnt in his class and if we didn't understand he easily explained so none of us were ever behind.

"How were your holidays?" He asked when we reached the front of the line.

I shrugged, not really wanting to put into words how shoddy my Summer was. But it seemed that Sirius did by the way he launched into a long description of how he was grounded over an incident he kept repeating but not explaining and then over the fun he had with 'Prongs' (where do they get these nicknames from?) when he wasn't.

I almost asked if he wanted to tell Professor Brent his whole life story when Remus shoved him through the door and cut him off. "I think he gets the gist of it now."

I snorted as I followed them through the door with a smile at sir and he said, "stand at the front with everyone when you go inside."

I raised my eyebrows but nodded and saw that rather than everyone usually taking any seat spare, everyone stood chatting at the front of the classroom.

Before I had a chance to voice my questions, Mr Brent spoke. "The tables are different because there's a seating plan guys."

At his announcement the class groaned, including Sirius. "But why, sir?"

Brent just chuckled as he closed the room door. "Since all of your scores throughout last year and from your O.W.L.S are some of the best the schools had, I have been advised that we should have a seating plan."

The moans grew in volume.

"Well even if I wanted to you guys not to, you still have to sit in a plan this year, it's not my choice."

Mr Brent strolled to the front of the class to get a sheet of parchment that I guessed to have the plan on it. "When I read out your names, they'll be your second ones by the way because McGonnagal set them, I'd like you to sit at where I point."

I realised the tables were now two rectangular ones put together to form a square. The squares sat four people and since there was twenty seven of us I estimated there were seven square tables.

I was brought out of my mental math when Mr Brent started listing names off and seat places. "Timothy, Thomas, Zimmerman and Fisher here please..."

Sirius leaned heavily on both mine and Remus' shoulders with exaggerated despair. "We might not even be on the same table now. The world could end and it couldn't be worse than this."

Remus raised a critical eyebrow. "Sure, Sirius, sure."

"But just imagine us so very far away and me with no-one to—"

"Annoy." I cut in flatly. "Yeah, that would be so tragic. Sirius, I feel my heart breaking for you."

"See Moony, Faith understands why can't you?"

I had to hide my laughter at how Sirius would only take what you said in a way he preferred it to be. It was hilarious really.

But I couldn't listen to anymore of Sirius' drama when my name was called. "Wilson here, Stienburg opposite and Celest next to him."

"I'll catch you guys on the flipside." I pulled off Sirius' arm, smiling at his sad look and Remus' roll of eyes.

I plopped down into the seat Sir had said was mine and placed my satchel next to my feet. I turned to the people I shared my table with and was determined to make some friends. I didn't quite know if the Marauders counted yet, they could be over-friendly for all I know.

"Hi, I'm Faith." I introduced myself to the two I sat opposite to.

"What no stigma?" The Slytherin girl diagonal to me challenged.

"Vi! That's not how we speak to new people." The hufflepuff opposite me exclaimed.

"So? They're always rude to me." She grumped, flicking her purple highlighted hair over her shoulder.

The Hufflepuff pointed to himself and the girl, ignoring her words. "Well I'm Edward and she's called Victori."

I smiled at them, unaffected by the girls coldness, and said, "it's nice to meet you both."

"Are you sure about that?" Victori's nose crinkled in suspicion. "Don't Gryffindors 'hate' Slytherins?"

"I don't." I said truthfully, looking her in her stormy green eyes. "There are some Gryffindors that hate me more than they hate Slytherins."

Victori ended our unsaid staring competition as if I had reached her standards and shrugged, "well then I guess you're okay."

"Don't worry an 'okay' is better than what she gives most." Edward stage whispered, catching the scrunched up parchment Victori threw at him.

I laughed. "I judge people based on their actions not their background."

Victori smirked, "is that why you're so friendly with Black."

My face flushed involuntarily, "what are you getting at?"

Edward grabbed Victori's arm and came as close as he could in her personal space. "Oop is this tea?"

Victori pulled him closer and whispered, "yes it is."

"No, it is not." I argued, shaking my head for emphasis.

"Hmm, I find that hard to believe since Vi believes it and she is hard to convince." Edward admitted, now released from Victori's grasp.

She rolled her eyes, "talk about me as if I'm not here Ed."

"Yep but you love me for it." Edward blew her a kiss that she caught and threw over her shoulder.

"Sure I do," she rolled her eyes in amusement. "And anyway I thought we were interested in the tea."

Edward's eyes lit up in a way that I was nervous of. "So have you two kissed? Groped? Sha-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! L-let's not get ahead of ourselves." I cut him off before my face would overheat.

"He really is ruder than me isn't he." Victori stated with a smile, watching the show.

The show that was currently my life. And Fate always took the cake when it came to my life.

"Okay, I don't know what you two think is going on but—"

I was cut off from arguing my point of view when an aeroplane swiftly landed in front of me.

"It's from him~" Edward said in a way that made me groan in frustration.

"Is that the sound—"

"Okay buddy even I have to cut it at some point." Victori laughed a tinkling sound, lightly patting him on the back.

I turned my head in the direction the plane came from and I spotted Sirius, who waved in such a childlike way that I had to grin.

I waved back and turned back around to my table. "I don't get why you guys are obsessing about it. We — if there even is a 'we', I've been around him less than an hour people — are just friends."

"Yeah 'friends'." Victori's words were saturated with sarcasm and I didn't like what she was implying.

Edward totally ignored what I said and just hurried me. "Unfold it so we can see what it says girl!"

I smiled at his excitement and said, "no."

His face dropped into a pout, "Why not?"

"Because I don't want to." I stated, crossing my arms.

"Li-ar." Victori sang, looking at me as if she knew all my secrets. Too bad I had too many for her to know.

"Okay that's enough I came here to learn and I'm not ope—"

Victori swiped the aeroplane before I could finish talking.

"Hey, give that back."

"I thought you said you weren't going to open it." Victori smugly asked, keeping the plane close to her.

"Exactly, I wasn't going to but I can still use it as an aeroplane." I explained in what should have been my winning point.

"Well we can see it and then give it you back, okay?" The point didn't work.

Edward was too desperate to know about the tea than to listen to me and I sighed. "Okay."

"Okay?" They synced.

"Okay open it. I doubt there's going to be anything bad in there."

I didn't think Sirius would put anything that bad in there. Well I hoped anyway.

Victori looked at me suspiciously as Edward tried stealing the plane from her. "What suddenly changed your mind?"

I shook my head."I didn't change my mind. I realised you wouldn't change yours so I gave up."

"What happened to Gryffindor determination?" Victori had to keep slapping Edward's hands to keep him away.

"Do you want me to say the equivalent to you?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

She snorted and shook her head, "sorry, but can we open it, seriously?"

"I said it was okay, didn't I?"

I watched as they unfolded the plane with excitement and started reading. Sirius' handwriting was so much better looking than mine that I felt it wasn't fair. Yep, definitely not fair.

I then got bored and watched the classroom. Mr Brent was almost done putting everyone in their assigned seats, with only one table to go. I could feel Sirius staring at my back so I turned to him.

"What?" I mouthed.

"You read it yet?" He mouthed back.

"I haven't Victori and Edward wanted to." Before I could add anything more, my attention was drawn back to my table from gasps they let out.

They both were wearing a rosy tint on their cheeks and I felt like banging my head on the table. What had Sirius gone and done now?

"So... how was it." I innocently asked.

"I-I think you should read it." Victori stated with an uncharacteristic stammer.

Edward nodded even his face red and I took the parchment out of their hands.

"Anything I should be aware of?" I asked with a wince at their quietness.

They shook their heads and I sighed, promising myself to hit Sirius extra hard if it was... not good.

I let my eyes drop to parchment preparing myself for whatever Sirius had wrote.

Heya how's your seat? Mines okay but neither you nor Moony are near it so I'm going to be bothering you both a lot. With planes.

Anyway I'm bored so I'll ask you this question: what colour are you're panties?

I can see you in white. You did tell me you were pure earlier.

Wait.

Do pure people wear white panties only? Or do they wear other colours?

And can I check in your underwear drawer for my hypothesis (ha smart word) then?

Sincerely Padfoot,

P.S you can send the plane back by throwing it. I charmed it (snazzy right?).

If blushing was this then I did not like it one bit. My face felt like it was on fire and I knew by Victori's and Edwards snickers, they could tell.

"So..." Victori snickered as Edward wolf whistled. "Not together you say."

I couldn't even think of an explanation and my mouth remained open as I starred at the parchment in front of me.

"Wha—I? White?"

My brain couldn't function properly and I registered my head turning to look at the culprit of it all. He was giving me a wink that didn't help my face. Like not even a smidge.

But two could play at that game.

I pulled out a quill from my bag on autopilot using the other side of the parchment to write my response.

My seat is great, thanks for asking, and I think I've made friends (I think) with two people on mine. My social interaction skills are great, you know.

And what's with the idea of virgins wearing white? I'm suspicious. Is there any suspicious activity I should be aware of going on? Sirius are you involved with the suspicious activity?

I think you are.

But I'm sure you can ask better questions than that. Seriously asking a girl about the colour of her knickers is like asking a guy for their member size. But if you must know they are see-through silk lace.

—As if! Ha! I got you there didn't I?

And anyway I'll let you check my drawer if you let me check yours, gender equality for all, right?

From a not very sincere Faith,

P.S don't ever ask me something like that again or I'll have to punish you.

I stopped chewing the top of my quill when I'd finished, regretting the feathers I got in my mouth as well as the inferno on my cheeks.

"Can we read it?" Edward pleaded and both he and Victori showed me some kitty eyes that even rivalled Tulberry's.

Shaking my head, I refolded along the crease lines and threw the plane back in his direction ignoring the cries of disbelief from Victori and Edward.

The plane landed in front of Sirius with a smooth drop and I closely watched his expression as he opened it. I wasn't disappointed he went from smiling, grinning, to shocked, then blushing at a distracting speed.

The only problem was that my sublty was ruined when he caught my gaze once he'd finished reading and kept it. I felt heat rushing up my neck but I couldn't break our eye contact.

I couldn't even use his blush to remind myself of how he was a dirty minded idiot. In fact all it did was make him look cute. And when did Sirius Black look normal enough to be cute? Guys at a such a high tier in looks are unable to look cute, it's a rule. Who gave him the right to break the rules?

My brows furrowed and he threw me a wink that made me blush and the way my body reacted to it grated my nerves. When had I become like this? So, so... Like his fangirls? I really was going mad, no doubt about it now.

I finally looked back into his eyes (when had I looked away from them?) and he blew me a kiss that I swear is the one he uses on all the girls who have a crush on him.

If he was expecting me to trip over myself because of it he was looking at the wrong girl.

The kiss also had nothing to do with the fact that even if you held me at wand point I couldn't tell you a single piece of information from the bloody lesson.

Yeah, like I said, nothing.

2A/N: Edward is my new favourite character he never misses out on that tea. I can imagine him having a specific scrunchie for each occasion. *Deeplysniffslikeonsomething* Is that what I think it is in the air?

No kittens it's not catnip

It's the tea~


	6. 6: Be safe, okay?

Sirius' Tomboy:

**A/N**: This chapter took me so long to write like eight months, _damn_ and not even that, I ended up halving it because it grew so long. ️

**Disclaimer**: my story has a happy ending unlike hers. (Yeah to me they aren't happy because people dying isn't fUn.)

_Be **safe**, okay?_

"Heya Faith?" I vaguely registered Victori waving her hand in front of my face.

"I think she's dead."

"Then does that mean Sirius killed her?" I could tell Victori was wriggling her eyebrows as she said it.

"Killed her with that _smoulder_ you mean." Edward cheerfully added. "They really _are_ together."

Unfamiliar hands found my shoulders and the thought that accompanied jarred my scattered thoughts.

Why were _Sirius_' hands familiar to me now?

And _why_ was I _not_ worried about that weird fact? This day just kept getting weirder and weirder. Or was this the normality of everyone else and I just hadn't realised it until now?

"Wha- has Mr Brent finished with the seating plan?"

Edward snickered behind one of his hands as he patted my back with the other. "The _lesson's_ finished, darling."

"_What_?" I all but squawked and a smirk tugged at the corner of Victori's lips.

I lowered my voice when a couple of eyes turned to us. "Crap, erm, _right_, I _knew_ that."

I grabbed my bag, stuffing a blank parchment that was _supposed_ to be full of notes into it, with my quills that had dried of ink a long while ago.

"Yeah, the class is _over_. We _tried_ waking you from your daze but you know." She shrugged. "You _were_ in Sirius la-la land."

I stopped packing away my things to huff, "I-I was _not_!"

They still laughed and I had to duck my head to avoid them seeing my blush.

Stupid Sirius. I never even _blushed_ before today.

And speaking of the frigging Devil.

The guy himself had swaggered over to our table with a grin on his lips that I was sceptical of. I peered around him and made a show of spotting Remus talking to some of our classmates so I could avoid speaking to him a _little bit_ longer.

"And who must _you_ be?" He was leaned against the table _oozing_ the aura of a popular person. He seemed to know Victori since he angled his question to Edward.

But I didn't dare look at his face.

"I'm Edward Steinburg." Edward's cheeks grew pink as he said it and I smiled.

And they said _I_ fancied Sirius.

But it seemed like Victori was the total opposite and gave him a blank look. "Hi, Black."

Sirius sent Edward a lopsided grin that had him looking bashful then he nodded at Victori. "Morning Celest."

When I could take no more of Sirius' eyes boring into me, I snapped, "what?"

"Are you _avoiding_ looking at me?" He didn't sound cross, only amused.

I peeked at his eyes an saw that they held shards of laughter. "_No_."

"Good then." He smiled.

Edward and Victori were whispering with knowing looks that irritated me.

But I ignored them all and found an excuse for my eyes to drift from Sirius' stare. "Heya Rem."

The others turned to Remus as he walked towards the group.

"Hello to you too." He seemed to notice the Victori and Edward then and said a polite good morning to the both of them.

"What's next?" Sirius yawned as if he was tired from asking me stupid questions through a plane.

Yeah, I still wouldn't get over that. Aeroplanes were _never_ meant for that stuff.

"I've got Herbology so you'll have to ask Rem." I sniggered at having a reason to avoid Sirius, speed walking past tables so Remus wouldn't grab me.

Haha, _he_ would be left alone with Sirius.

I laughed out loud at his sour face but Sirius' frowned. "Be safe, okay? I need someone to annoy."

I didn't miss the crap-eating grins a certain Hufflepuff and Slytherin were sending me at his words.

I rolled my eyes as I nodded, "don't worry, I will."

Edward started pushing me towards the door, "go on, you don't wanna be late."

I nodded as if I didn't see those suggestive glances he was sending an ever-oblivious Sirius.

"_Alright_, byas." I waved at them all as I finally left the classroom to go to Herbology.

I felt _slightly_ queasy at the fact that I might not have anyone that I could even _talk_ to in Herbology after being forbidden from being friends with anyone else but my ex ones for so long. And if I looked deep down, I knew I was procrastinating in Mr Brent's room.

But I had to get used to it. The guys were their _own_ group, I couldn't just jump in and think that it was all fine and dandy. No matter how much I wanted it to be. I had a bad craving for groups, to be included and I needed to stop and try and make some friends today. Put the past (as much I could anyway) behind me.

However, if students had noticed my appearance with the Marauders then there was no doubt my _they_ already had. Especially Marlene and _everyone_ knew how much of a crush she had on Sirius. She would take everything the _wrong_ way and I knew that the results wouldn't be pretty.

I sighed up to the ceilings of Hogwarts. Why was life _never_ simple?

I remembered that I was _supposed_ to be regretting my cloak when I stood by the doors to exit the castle. The sky was brewing something bad and the wind wasn't behaving as it should.

Shrugging to myself, I cast an impervius charm over myself. If life hadn't been behaving yet, then why would it now?

I pushed the grand doors open and stood outside into the rain and wind. I walked down the slippery grass path to the Greenhouses, lips curling up at my familiarity with them. I soon stepped into the safety of Greenhouse and slowly took off my spell.

I used the extra seconds I stood by the closed door to look around the classroom, feeling a _ridiculous_ amount of relief when I saw Ebony there. The worry I felt stemmed from the fact that I would be alone. And being on my own was something I tried to avoid no matter what, which I needed to stop because it led me to do things so I wasn't unwanted.

"Hi, Ebony. Erm, is it alright if I sit here?" I stood behind the seat next to her and I hoped against hope that she nodded.

To my relief she did and I sat down on the tall stool, dropping my bag next to my feet, under the desk. I then noticed on her other side of the three-person-table sat another girl.

I recognised her from one of the girls Ebony had sat next to at breakfast. She had white-blonde hair plaited into two neat pigtails and had a splatter of grey freckles on her cheeks. Her eyes were green behind her glasses from what I had seen when she looked up from her book to give me a smile before going back to reading. I'd seen her lots and from memory, I knew she was the Gryffindor, Bertha Jorkins but I'd never spoken to her.

"I know I just saw you an hour ago but how are you doing?" Ebony was just as energetic as I last saw her, possibly more so.

I just chuckled and enjoyed her bubbly personality. "I'm great, why?"

"I don't know..." The sparkles in her blue eyes turned mischievous. "I've heard you're getting a bit _roomy_ with Sirius."

I spluttered before I could answer, half shocked that the gossip mill worked so fast and half-embarrassed from my memory of what he'd sent in a plane.

I would never get over that. It was a _frigging_ plane. A _plane_.

Even though my cover had been blown, I tried to act nonchalant. "What are you talking about?"

Ebony's gaze just _radiated_ excitement as she nudged me slightly with her elbow. "Ooo so it's a _secret_ then?"

I didn't have a chance to deny her statement when Bertha paused reading and joined the conversation. "If it is, don't let Eb corner you into answering."

Ebony pouted and fake grumbled, "I was only curious Bea."

I watched the exchange, blinking, surprised that even Ebony's friends were nice. "We aren't together anyway, despite what everyone seems to think, but thank you."

Bertha sent me a nod and a soft smile while ignoring Ebony's fake huff and before I could say anything more Professor Sprout made an appearance at the front of the classroom.

"Welcome back my fellow botanists, I hope you've all had a lovely summer."

Sprout wore a jolly smile even as it started to rain harder against the windows. "Today and the following weeks we will be revisiting the Devil's Snare."

Groans mixed with shouts of joy erupted in the classroom and I quietly laughed. Last year a few _incidents_ had happened with the plant and it was obvious who they were.

Sprout walked around her desk, using chalk to write a list on the chalkboard. "Rather than last year where you observed and watched the plants from afar, you will be working in threes to tend and grow the plant yourselves. It will show how much you remember and will be safer, as well as to show how well you work in a group."

She could say that again. The number of injuries I'd seen because of the plant over the years, even when Sprout brought only _one_ out to show us, was _ridiculous_. Whether it was because of the ignorance of students or just the plants themselves, _someone_ would get hurt.

Sprout stepped back from the board, dusting her hand of chalk powder. "You kids can choose your groups as from experience I've learnt that less bickering means less of you take a trip to the hospital wing. After a few weeks, I will be judging on the final result of your plant. Your equipment is in the front and so is the Devil's snare, you can begin."

"So er," I started, unsure if I was even _allowed_ to be in a group with the two of them. I had been rejected in lessons before and I wasn't a stranger to working alone.

Bertha seemed to understand my dilemma by the way her leafy eyes slightly widened, "you can get the soil from the storage cupboard if you want."

I caught her eye and I understood her unspoken question: you can be with us if you want.

I broke out into a grin and I realised Ebony had disappeared as she made her way back to the table with aprons and spades. "Gals if we're going to get an O in this project we need to work together so Bertha get up, no lazying on the job."

My grin broadened at the fact that they both had accepted me in a blink, not even forgotten that I was there.

"I'll get the soil and pot." I offered, Bertha nodding slightly with a smile curving the corner of her lips.

The lesson went by faster than I thought it would with me being in a group with Bertha and Ebony. I was more than thrilled that I didn't have a choice and was automatically welcomed by them. But I couldn't help but be surprised at how the two girls talked to me like we were all friends.

"So what's your worst weather?"

Bertha had asked the question, adding to the game 20 questions that Ebony had gotten going between the three of us.

I smoothed the top layer of soil in the pot over before I answered, "_definitely_ snow, I have so many good memories with it."

Ebony frowned and it had nothing to do with the plant that kept struggling in her grasp. "So you've had bad memories with other weather types?"

I wasn't even alarmed that I'd let that slip, I was relaxed, more relaxed than I'd ever been around girls.

I shrugged slightly, placing the orange pot on our desk, "it's kinda why I don't like when it's sunny."

Bertha cocked her head, pausing from writing down the steps we were taking in advance for the end of the project. "That's quite unusual."

I shrugged again. a beam pulling at my lips. "But you can't say that dancing in the rain with no problems weighing you down doesn't sound appealing."

I waited for the brutal disagreement, the familiar sneer.

However Ebony's nose scrunched up in thought, baby Snare squirming in her grasp, "nah, tanning in the sun sounds better."

A surprised laugh flew from my lips, more so at the how she disagreed than why. "I've never tried it."

She pouted and I was surprised to find, was that a desirous gaze? "You wouldn't need to, have you seen your beautiful bronze tone!"

I glanced at Bertha confused as I pulled off my gardening gloves. "...Oh?"

She nodded slightly towards Ebony, rolling her eyes not unkindly. "Eb's been trying to get a similar complexion to your own even though I've told her that her pale skin is _beautiful anyway_."

Ebony's blush was easily seen on it. "Bea just—_whatever_." After a rather ferocious squeeze from her, the plant gave in and stopped trying to wrap its tendrils around her wrist.

I chuckled at the two of them, passing Ebony the smoothed over pot so she could plant the Devils Snare. "I think that everyone's got their own beauty and it's not necessarily in their looks."

Bertha lifted her quill at my words, "I've been trying to tell her that _forever_. Eb, I'm _willing_ to kidnap Faith for you so you can listen to what she says."

Ebony seemed startled at her words as if Bertha didn't joke about kidnapping people often.

"_Alright_, I understand." She exhaled, flicking a few black strands over her shoulder. "You don't need to keep saying I'm beautiful because we both know that's _overboard_."

Bertha's hand was holding up her face as she lazily smirked. "Is it _really_? I just see a _beautiful friend_."

Ebony's cheeks darkened and she forgot about potting the plant as she clasped it. "Bea _stop!_"

My eyebrows furrowed observing her inky hair, warm blue eyes and milky unblemished skin. "But you _are_ stunning though?"

Ebony whirled around at me, embarrassed, "oh, not _you_ too!"

Bertha laughed a sweet sound as she grasped Ebony's wrist. "Okay, _okay_, we won't carry on this conversation but Eb remember the _Snare_."

Ebony puffed before she glanced at her hand and spotted the abused plant that was wilting in exhaustion. "Oh, sugar snaps!"

I laughed with the two friends, having fun for the first time with some girls, who _weren't_ my sisters, in a _long_ while.


	7. 7: I can't stand

**Sirius' Tomboy:**

**A/N**: This is the second installation— I don't even make sense but when did I ever? Also yeah I'm lazy so the plants yeah... I made them up so...(._.)

**Disclaimer**: Yeetus, I don't own Harry Potter because Druna/Dracuna is my OTP. ;)

_I **can't** stand._

"I need to be at a teachers meeting at break but the Sylvites need planting in pots." Sprout mumbled to herself, as she made sure everyone had at least potted the Devils Snare at the end of the lesson.

I understood what her dilemma was, the Sylvite was a unique plant in how it reacted to when it sprouted. Within an hour the baby plants needed to be planted in a pot that would later still accommodate their size. That was because their roots would start to release the appropriate minerals and vitamins needed for the plant to stay alive and grow in their lifetime.

Wanting to help, I spoke up as she checked our labelled pot. "I can help with the Sylvites."

She bit her lip guilty. "If it isn't too much."

I nodded at Professor Sprout with an easy smile, "It's fine. I don't want to get out of here in a hurry either if you get what I mean."

The rain was heard plinking a tune on the glass of the greenhouse and I knew the watery ground wouldn't be nice to tread through.

She laughed at my attempt to lighten the mood and I was happy to see the tension on her shoulders disparate. "Yes the rain is terrible but thank you Faith."

"No worries." I laughed back and started retying my apron. I hadn't really taken it off to begin with.

"So you're staying behind to help?" Bertha asked, sweeping the floor as Ebony sorted out the storage cupboard since we were the last ones left.

"Yeah," I picked up the leftover bags of soil, blinking at the state the sixth years left the place in. "You guys don't need to stay behind for me I'll catch up— if you want."

"Of course we do!" Ebony made her appearance out of the cupboard and took the two bags from my hands. "But you know where to find us since I have no idea what Silvers are."

Bertha sighed good-naturedly as she put the broom to the side and picked up their school bags. "They're Sylvites Eb, anyway we'll be in the Great Hall and Dorcas will be there too if you want to meet her."

I nodded as Ebony came back and took her bag from Bertha's awaiting hand. "Bye Miss, See you on Wednesday."

"I'll see you girls later." Sprout said as I waved at them as they left and entered the cold.

The professor went over to her desk to slip on her cloak ahead of the downpour outside. "Once you've done with the Sylvites just lock the door behind you with a Colloportus, thank you once again Faith."

I paused in gathering items I would need to confidently nod, "yep, now go or else you'll be late."

Once the door clicked shut behind her and another thanks, I turned around and faced the saplings I had placed in a line, "right planties, time for your new homes."

I got straight to work cautious of the time that went by before the Sylvites would begin the nutrient-releasing process. First, I began by grabbing the new pots they would grow to snugly fit in and a small shovel to fill them up with the right soil.

"Don't you know I'm still standing better than I ever did," I sang quietly to the plants in the greenhouse as my audience.

When I double checked I'd smoothed over all twenty pots, speedily from practice, I grabbed the carton of the purple plants. I placed it down on the table surface, careful not to make any contact with the flower petals and have any toxins touch my skin.

"Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid." I hummed and my head uncontrollably bobbed - I tended to do that a lot when singing.

The plants were still saplings, and nowhere near ready to start being used in antitoxins for poisons. I pulled on the thick specialised gloves, taking out the first few and planting them into the pots. I made sure they were sturdy in the soil so their roots wouldn't come loose after a few weeks.

"I'm still standing after all this time." I was dancing slightly now, swaying.

The plants were valuable and were used in most cures for different poisons so it was important for the hospital wing just in case. I'd come first hand with a toxicant once and I knew the significance of the constant supply of Sylvites.

"Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind."

Finished with potting the twenty, I started cleaning up the worktop. Wiping down the excess soil that had ended up on the table and taking the empty carton and putting it in the recycling bin.

I sent the bin double finger guns, movements fluid from the practiced movement from throughout summer break. "I'm still standing yeah yeah yeah."

After checking under the table for any dirt I hadn't spotted, I moved the Sylvites to the separate storing tank to the left of the storage cupboard.

"I'm still standing yeah yeah yeah."

I clicked the window shut once all twenty were inside the blue-lamped space and breathed a sigh of relief as I glanced at the clock.

10:23

I still had seventeen minutes till the end of break and had nothing left to do except lock the door and maybe I could become friends with Bertha, Ebony and possibly Dorcas.

"Bye planties. And thank you for coming to my one-woman show." I called, smiling to myself as I clicked off the light.

I left the greenhouse with a hum, locking it with the locking spell Miss gave me. "Colloportus."

"Look who it is, the Tart herself!"

I recognised that voice all too well.

I whipped my head in surprise, smile dropping to see Mary leading the quartet. The quartet made up of the only people in this world I wanted to avoid.

I felt my happy mood evaporate and my walls of confidence crumbling just at the sight of all four of them and I couldn't even bring myself to speak.

"She is so pathetic." Hesita stated, giving me a look that made me feel like I was a disgrace. A disgrace to her. A disgrace to the girls. A disgrace to everyone.

I looked at the pool of water seeping into the muddy floor, not ready to look them in the eyes yet and I stayed quiet.

"She can't even say anything to us. Is it because you can't threaten us anymore Tarty?" Mary taunted.

I couldn't keep my mouth shut then. "Me threaten you? Are you out of your mind! Out of all the times you've done that to... abuse me?"

Anger fueled me on and I didn't take any notice of their surprised expressions. I wasn't going to be submissive to their crap any longer.

"All these years I've been asking for nothing but friendship and you throw it in my face! Where are the girls from second year? The ones I wanted to be friends with? They were nicer than this!"

I stopped to heave in the breaths I missed out on and I could feel anger brewing from my ex-friends.

"We were always the same. You. Just. Never. Opened. Your. Eyes." I could hear Gwenog's rare but striking voice over the wind and I swallowed.

My burst of vexation fizzled out and my doubts had a chance to settle in. Was I really that blind? Was it all my fault from the beginning? Did I just force myself into a group while having warped views of them all?

Marlene made her presence known and I could tell that she was the source of the palpable fury in the air.

"What is Sirius Black to you?"

Her voice was calm but it only reminded me of the lull before the storm.

"What do you mean?" I asked, momentarily thrown off from the subject change. "He's an idiot."

"Then why are you hanging around with him?"

She clenched her fists as she fumed and I didn't know what to say. My brows scrunched as I tried to answer her question and not heighten her anger either. Unlike the other girls, I didn't know how Marlene acted when angry and I'd rather I didn't find out. But I was feeling rather peeved myself so oh well.

"Truthfully, I don't know." I gritted through my teeth, annoyed at having to argue a point to people I didn't want to approach, never mind talk to, in the first place. "And why do you need to know? It's not any of your business."

Before I knew what was happening Marlene slapped her hand on the right side of my face.

"Bitch! You think that by hanging out with my man that he will protect you?!?" Marlene cried, her honey eyes darkened in fury.

I flinched back at the magnitude of her anger, speechless.

"What the hell was that for!" I yelled, cursing when I reached my wits end.

My cheek burned and it ached against the freezing air. I touched it gingerly, not surprised at the flare of pain I felt with it.

I finally had enough of being hurt and bruised. Tired of having to live in misery and fear. And for what?

"You know what, I'm sick and tired of everything." I said as it became too much, tears forming at the corners of my eyes. "Marlene, maybe you're the one that's a bitch. Mary maybe you're a Tart and twins I expected better from you two."

I wouldn't allow myself to break down in front of any of them and I made to move past them but Mary pushed me backwards.

"Don't. Touch. Me." I whispered, glaring at her through the tears that wanted to fall.

"We will do whatever we want, so don't tell us what we can and can't do." Mary vehemently whispered.

I scowled at her, feeling a thrum of ache from my cheek for it. "I can tell you all to fuck off."

"Gwenog hex the Tart!" Mary ordered, too angry to even wear a smirk on her face.

Gwenog's hexes were a pain I was familiar with and had no doubt that I could protect myself from it. I silently cast a shield charm on myself, prepared for anything she might use against me. Her hex hit hard and fast causing me to be pushed backwards a few steps.

"So the Tart finally learnt how to protect herself? That might have been enough last year but guess what?"

The look in her eyes with the leer on her face was a dangerous combination and I hated how a spike of fear ran through me.

"I've learnt some moves too."

I backed away slowly banging into the locked door of the greenhouse classroom and the girls mockingly laughed at my actions. I didn't want to take my eyes off them for a minute but there was nowhere for me to run as the four of them surrounded me.

Hesita's laugh was short but vicious, "this is hilarious."

I frowned at her in confusion, wary of the distance between them and I. But then she uttered the words that made me feel sick to the core.

"You were never one of us."

At that moment I finally felt everything hit me.

They didn't care.

None of them argued with Hesita's statement and I realised I didn't matter. All this time I thought they at least valued our friendship but no.

I wasn't worth anyone's company it seemed.

As I was unfocused, Mary took her chance to use one of her moves. She didn't hold anything back and let out a call as she let her spell loose and I slowly blinked as the green ray sped towards me.

I couldn't find the strength in me to pull up another shield. Not because I wasn't strong enough. But because I couldn't find it in me to fight anymore.

I'd given up.

The jinx hit hard and fast and I registered being lifted by a Levicorpus into the air but it was all hazy. I landed with a harsh drop on the muddy ground in between some of the greenhouses and I could only wince in pain. One of Gwenog's hexes sent pain lancing up my legs and I let out a subdued yell. The pain was soon accompanied by another and I had to close my eyes because of the agony I was in.

Their laughs and threats were warbled to my ears and stinging my body was under made it impossible for me to focus on the words.

Then wands were forgotten.

Kicks, slaps and heaps of mud became involved and I knew I should fight, at least do something but I couldn't. Wouldn't.

Even though they didn't care and even though I shouldn't, I still cared about them. I didn't want to hurt them in response to the pain I felt. I couldn't live with myself if I did that.

I guess I really was weak.

"Some things are temporary." The words suddenly disrupted my thoughts and I was surprisingly still able to listen to Gwenog's voice without the twinges of my body distracting me. "You were merely one of those things."

I weakly looked up to see the gleeful eyes of the girls I used to think were my closest friends. Then I closed my eyes when I couldn't stand a different pain in my chest anymore.


	8. 8: A pinkie promise of support

**Sirius' Tomboy:**

**A/N**: I don't know why I didn't publish this earlier the original was 3000 and I was like huh, I can shorten it and publish. Selveyet, why haven't you published it??

**Disclaimer**: I don't think j. k . r o w l i n g is in a smexy cult huhhh? No, she isn't.

A pinkie promise of support.

**Faith.**

I didn't want to tell the Madam my list of injuries, not with Sirius in hearing range so my panicked brain found a way out of it.

"Can- could I write all of it down?" I only stumbled once as I spoke, then I realised it may have sounded rude. "If that's okay with you?"

The nurse didn't look like she was fazed from the weird request and nodded Accio-ing a piece of parchment, a quill and ink as she walked over to a large curtain. She pulled it back to show an empty bed and chairs, gesturing for me to sit down on the bed to write.

"Just give me a shout when you're done, chickpea."

Feeling self-conscious at how close Sirius was and the concerned look he was shooting me, I turned my gaze to my quill. I dipped it in the ink bottle Madam Pomfrey had provided and I made to write only to stop before the ink touched the parchment.

He was close. Much too close.

I didn't usually mind about space when it came to him but when he was close enough to read whatever injuries they had inflicted on me, it was too close. Or maybe it was because this was too personal and his distance to me wasn't the problem.

"Could you...well it's just that..." I closed my eyes and breathed out of my nose before asking, "please can I have some space—only for a sec though!"

I peeked open my eyes to see him nod and give me the personal space I almost didn't want, face the most placid I'd seen him and I was unsure if he was angry or not. He felt so absent even though he was sitting on a chair beside the bed and I itched to just hold his hand but I snipped that thought in its bud. I was probably already burdening him enough, I didn't need him to make it worse.

Pushing all my thoughts aside as a sharp piercing feeling attacked my side, I scribbled down what hurt and how, wanting to be healed.

The list was long, longer than I was expecting and I bit my lip as I called for Madam Pomfrey. But instead of only her, McGonnagal accompanied her.

To say I was uncomfortable was an understatement. My mouth was dry, my mind went blank and I didn't know what to do when I was faced with the teacher's curious gaze.

Did she come in here a lot because if she does I am never coming back here no matter how much pain I'm in.

"Have you done yet, chickpea?"

I merely nodded, turning away from McGonnagal's eyes and passing Pomfrey the list. I was glad Pomfrey didn't react as she read over it but then the Professor started to read over her shoulder and a new wave of terror swamped over me.

I regretted ever coming to the hospital wing. It would have been better to be injured than to have Professor McGoganall know about it.

No one was supposed to know about it.

I nearly jumped when Sirius' hands found mine when he moved to sit next to me and whispered, "breathe, it's alright."

I followed his instructions and swallowed, grateful for him being there even when he didn't have to. He'd already brought me to the wing and he didn't even need to stay. Not forgetting that I'd told him to go away but he was still giving me support.

Was this real?

That one of the schools 'heart-throbs' was here, not spending his break with equally popular people, but in the hospital wing.

With me.

And not just that, calming me down from an impending freak out. When I told him to give me space.

And he's still here. Also having given me his special jacket everyone knew about so I wasn't cold.

What was the world coming to?

"Chickpea, these injuries are quite... different to the usual I deal with." Madam Pomfery slowly began, disrupting my inner turmoil.

She looked up from the parchment she was scanning and quietly questioned, "how did you get them?"

After a few moments of hesitation, I decided to tell her the diluted truth. "I fell out... rather badly with the... girls I dorm with."

I could feel Sirius' startlement at how I didn't take my opportunity to tell them off and then his anger. I didn't turn to look at him.

The space was quiet for a moment and the background noises of the hospital wing were subdued in the loudness of the silence here.

"Do you have any other girls you would like to dorm with." This time McGonnagall spoke up and she was looking at me intently as if she knew I was lying and was searching for the truth.

I nodded, looking away quickly and adding, "Ebony Ritchards and Bertha Jorkins, I think they stay together in the same dorm."

"Then you can move in with them."

She said it with such an air of finality that I blinked. "Pardon? Could you repeat that?"

Sirius squeezed my hand over the cuffs of his black coat and I was grateful to have something to ground me because I needed it.

"What I mean is once you are treated you are to move into Jorkins' dorm. I will solve the problem of moving your belongings from your dorm." She waved her hand through the air as if it wasn't a problem. "I have had a few chats with Miss Jorkins before and she is an excellent student. I'm sure you agree?"

I shook my head again, not daring to look her in the eyes. "Yes I do, thank you Professor."

Pomfery turned to the Professor with a tut. "Minvera could you also send out letters to her teachers telling them that Faith won't be in the rest of her classes today?"

Wait what?

All I needed was a few bandages and peppering up potions and I could get through the day, I've done it before. And these injuries weren't that bad. Okay, they were just about the worst I've had, but still!

"Wait—"

I didn't get a chance to argue when Sirius placed a finger (yes, the idiot used his actual finger) on my lips, slightly shaking his head with a raised eyebrow. I knew he wasn't going to let me go to lessons as normal if he could do anything about it so I shrugged him off with a resigned sigh.

"Yes." McGoganall just blinked at our interaction. "Rest is highly recommended and with that I must leave, I have a fourth year class I need to prepare for."

"Minnie I'll see you later." Sirius couldn't help but say and sent her a wink.

I cracked a smile at the blank stare she responded with. "Am I right to believe later will be in detention?"

I couldn't help but lightly snort at her response but Sirius still kept his head high, "it could be a date."

She didn't even say anything to him at that, turning to me with a shake of her head, "I wish you a speedy recovery."

I sent her a wavering smile and nodded back because my vocal chords were in no way ready to be used right now.

When she left, I didn't even notice that Pomfery had left too a few minutes prior. Either she was quiet or maybe we were just loud.

I turned to Sirius, frowning, "I don't understand why I need a full day off."

He gave me a look that told me I should already know the answer.

I played with the cuffs of the large fabric he'd given me, explaining, "I've been in worse pain before and this is the first time I've come here. I don't see why I should have a day off."

The same finger that was on my lips earlier lifted my chin and I glanced at him.

"Really?"

"Really what?" He wasn't being clear.

"You've been hurt like this before?" His question was soft like his fingers and his eyes were curious but underlined with anger.

Crap, should I have told him that? Oh well, my thoughts are all over the place.

"Yeah?"

"You don't sound all that sure." The little humour in his tone was making his eyes lighten from their angry coal grey.

"I'm not sure if you're going to tell everyone." The words were out before I could stop them and I inwardly huffed at my inability to lie around Sirius.

"I won't."

I narrowed my eyes at him as if I was analysing at him. "I'm sorry but I'm not convinced."

He was a popular guy he could easily spread everything.

I only noticed that he was still holding my hand when he pulled his away to put his pinky in my face.

"What?"

He looked solemn, his eyes truthful. "I'll pinky promise you."

I wanted to laugh, I wanted him to go, I wanted him to stop making me trust him... but I also didn't.

I don't know much about him, but pinky promises were serious.

I used my tingly hand he'd let go of to cover my eyes. "You know in my house if you break a pinky promise everyone hates you for a month."

I waited for him to laugh, for him to leave, to make me think he was a liar.

But he lightly pulled my wrist so I could see him and I realised he was trying not to hurt me even though he didn't know where my injuries were.

Damn, so much for me not trusting him.

"In James' house you get ignored like you're not even there."

I winced. "That's bad."

I played with the cuffs of his jacket again, noticing his eyes on the movement. I thought he would be cautious or ready to ask me for it back but he had a soft smile on his features.

His eyes moved to mine. "So do you trust me?"

I couldn't help but smile even though a threat followed. "If you break this pinky promise, I pinky promise you that one day you will wake up with a new haircut, bald sounds tempting."

This was ridiculous, me even able to threaten a Marauder, never mind Sirius Black. I literally had my first proper conversation a few hours prior. Because 'can you pass me that salamander heart' isn't one.

A grin was on his face but his eyes were slightly scared. Had anyone ever told him that? That his eyes showed his emotions easily? You could tell what he was thinking with one look. Or maybe I had been looking at them enough to know what they meant? No, he just wore his emotions on his sleeve.

"Okay then, where's your pinky?" Sirius accused and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Right calm down Sirius, you'd think you were in a rush to have your mane cut up." I lightly grinned as I pulled my pinky near his, realising the jacket nearly swallowed my whole hand so I pulled it back.

But then it moved forward again. And again when I moved it back. And again.

"You're not helping you know." Sirius was trying and failing to stop his chuckles from coming out so I thrust my hand in his face. "You do it then."

He stopped biting his fist and sucked in a deep breath but his eyes were still alight with laughter. "Right."

He obviously used magic because there was no way he could easily pull the sleeve back and make it stay. And he didn't even put in that much effort for crying out loud!

"Oh come on, that was funny."

"No it wasn't.

"I believe it was."

"I don't."

"But you were laughing at me earlier."

"So? You were being funny on purpose, which was funny, that wasn't."

"Oh."

Crap, I shouldn't of told him that by the way he froze. Why does this guy make me say things I shouldn't?

His face loomed near mine with a grin nearly splitting his face. "So you do find me funny!"

"That is not what I said." I lied, crossing my arms gently; my ribs still hurt. "Can we just pinky promise already?"


	9. 9: Drowsy Realities

Sirius's Tomboy:

**A/N:** Thank all you lovelies for your reviews/messages, I don't know how you put up with me.

**Disclaimer:** I only own my week's pocket money, a couple of books and that's _it_.

**_Drowsy_**_ realities._

**Faith.**

_That_ grin didn't leave his face but he nodded and put his pinky in mine.

I looked at the contrast in the colours for a moment, coffee and milk, but I egged him on. "Go on: say what you're promising."

He sobered up a bit, the smile on his face dimming slightly. "I, Sirius Orion Black, pinky promise to you, Faith Wilson, that I will not tell anyone about what happened with those four girls as well as the fact you have been hurt worse than this by them and haven't been to the hospital wing before today— is that all?"

"Yeah," I looked away from his serious gaze. "That's it."

He broke the pinky hold and took my hand to hold it normally, his other hand unraveling the jacket sleeve. "The punishment for me if I break our pinky promise is you giving me a haircut - like you said - but I want to add on me apologising to Snape in front of everyone at dinner for always pissing him off."

I blinked multiple times trying to just _understand_ what he said when his grey eyes caught mine. "I'm that serious."

He was _willing_ to swallow his pride if he broke, I'm sad to say, a measly promise, and say _sorry_ to _Snape_. Was he okay?

My lungs decided to stop working then and I could only stare before I forced them to start again. "You don't—"

He raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me 'I don't have to' because _me_ being _serious_ only comes once a year and this is where I'm using it."

"But you could use it on something more... important. It's the _first_ day of the school year after all." I weakly argued.

The look in his eyes made me swallow my words.

"As far as I'm concerned, the is the most important thing I'll face this year is you."

I couldn't reply to that and I was glad that I didn't have to when Pomfrey came in with her arms full of bandages, potions and ointments with more than a few following her. "Alright chickpea I've got everything I need for you— oh, Sirius you're still here."

"Of course I am." I was surprised to hear it come out defensive and Pomfrey noted it too.

"Don't get in a tiff," the nurse tutted. "I thought you would have followed Minvera to annoy her some more."

"I'm focusing on important things right now."

He needed to stop doing that. Throwing around the word 'important' as if it was easy to label something as that. I doubted he even knew what he was saying.

"Good to see."

She eyed our joined hands with a small smile and I felt my self darkening but Sirius just squeezed and winked.

I silently scoffed but I couldn't stop the smile on my face. This guy was _ridiculous_.

"Well I'm sorry to say that you need to step out so I can bandage up some ribs, or if you're already _close enough_ you can stay..."

I couldn't even worry about Pomfrey telling him about my injuries because what she was implying was just—

"_No_! It's _fine_! We're not _that_ close! Ha ha! I'll go, it's fine!" Sirius looked as ruffled as I felt.

He didn't waste time standing outside the curtain, his red cheeks making me laugh at the fact he could be embarrassed too.

"Ha," she triumphantly placed the materials next to me on the bed. "Finally got the dog gone."

I spoke up, smiling at Sirius's receding shadow. "If I didn't know any better I would say you didn't like him."

She chuckled. "If I didn't act like this his ego would be larger than it is now."

I decided then that I liked Madam Pomfrey.

I nearly jumped when I felt a weird sensation moving over me from head to toe. "Don't worry chickpea it's just a light scan for me to see all your injuries."

I stopped myself from squirming since that wasn't going to help her or me. Anyway I'd already made my choice in trusting her. And (_most_ of the time) I stuck with my choices.

"Hmm." That was the only noise she let out, and it was neither surprised or judging and my shoulders relaxed.

"This'll heal your bruises." She ran her wand over me again, the bruises and aches in my legs and arms soothing out and leaving me . "But you'll feel a bit woozy afterwards just so you know."

She rooted through the shelf on the side, pulling an emerald bottle before turning back to me. "I've got a plant-sourced potion for you to drink for your ribs, you have a few that are fractured."

She handed me a potion and it looked silvery through the bottle, a label scripting it as what she told me: _Bone-fixer (calcium enhancer)_.

It seemed like Pomfrey was more practical when it came to naming things.

Nevertheless, I drank it down, noting the almost milky taste and watched Pomfrey arrange and pick up some ointments. Then a hot feeling followed courting around my chest and I knew it was my ribs growing to smooth out any cracks.

"Now chickpea, can you remove your shirt so I can use these bandages on those ribs."

She was much more gentle than I'd thought she would be as she lathered the bottom of my ribs with an almost minty smell from one of the ointments she had brought. I still grimaced as a cool feeling covered my front.

When it was as thick as she wanted she grabbed the bandages and wrapped them around my torso, keeping the strengthened bones in place.

"That's it," she moved back with a clap of her hands before picking up a small tub. "All you need to remember is to take one of these every morning, now off you go poppet."

I pulled my school shirt back on. "Thank you Madam Pomfrey."

She waved her hand in a flurry of potions and bandages, "No need poppet, it's my job."

Nonetheless I lightly shrugged, "Still you healed me."

She hummed before turning around and asking, "Should I call the dog for you?"

I let out a laugh at that. "You might as well, he'll track me down anyway."

She didn't waste time, using her large lungs. "Black, your company is waiting!"

It was quiet in the whole of the wing for a moment before I heard the familiar sound of someone falling and the scuffle that came with standing up.

"Alright, you didn't have to shout, nearly gave me a heart attack, jeez." Sirius mumbled as his shadow grew on my curtain.

"It is my hospital wing Sirius, I'll do what I like." She sniffed at his appearance.

He didn't look offended in the slightest as his eyes landed on me. "Is Faith ready to leave?"

Pomfrey nodded, going to organise the items in the side cupboard. "Yes, and Black? Don't get too frivolous, she needs her rest."

I snorted at his crimson face, ignoring the heat in mine as I got off my hospital bed. "Thanks for that piece of advice Pomfrey."

She turned to smile at me before shooing us out. "Go on, get going now."

Sirius reached out for my hand, pulling me out of the curtain-pulled space with a long drawl of, "_Goodbye Pom-Pom_!"

The stares that followed us when we walked in, doubled as we walked out.

"I think we're giving them the wrong idea." I murmured as one fifth year's face turned devastated at the sight of our joined hands.

I did try to pull away but he only just pulled me closer and earned me more jealous glares. They were somehow even worse than the ones at breakfast.

"Who cares?" Was all he responded with, sending me a carefree smile that I shook my head at.

He was so stupid.

We left the wing behind and Sirius still hadn't let go of my hand when he hummed, "What should I tell the others?"

I was beginning to feel drowsy and I knew it was because of the bruise-healing spell. I still churned my head for an answer though. "You can tell the girls that I hurt myself on one of the plants... On, the Sylvites, yeah."

Sirius chuckled as I yawned through the sentence and did it again. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder to stop me from falling asleep while I stood up. "Can I ask you something?"

I nodded my head against his shoulder, raising a hand to cover my mouth. "Yeah, sure."

He was mulling over whether he should as I could tell so I prodded. "I'm not going to be awake for long so ask me."

"When we were in the wing, why didn't you tell Minnie about what _really_ happened?"

It took me a few moments to understand what he asked and when I did, I wished I didn't.

"Well there's no point is there?" I finally muttered, rubbing my eye.

I could tell Sirius was more into my answer than I thought when I felt his heavy gaze turn on me.

"What do you mean?" He whispered as we traveled along the corridor.

"No one would believe little, old me anyway." I murmured. "Four against one: the odd aren't the best."

I didn't tell him the complete truth, that I wouldn't win because they were popular and I wasn't.

That I was lonely and they weren't.

Sirius appeared to believe me when he ruffled my head, oblivious to my thoughts. "I would believe you, do you know that?"

My throat constricted a moment as I looked up at him, "You _would_?"

"Of course!" His eyebrows were raised as we went around another corner. "And the guys would too."

"Are you sure?" I couldn't stop my disbelief from bleeding into my tone. "Sorry."

Sirius brought us to a stop in the middle of the hallway and he turned to me. "I'm ignoring that sorry. Why do you think they wouldn't believe you?"

My gaze swam between the carpeted halls and his concerned gaze. "The girls are connected aren't they? People know them right?"

I blame my sleepiness for my honesty.

He started to say something but I carried on, trying to undo what I said. "You know what never mind—"

I was cut off when Sirius shook his head, lightly taking hold of my shoulders. "You shouldn't stop yourself from telling the truth, especially when it's how you feel."

I blinked twice, feeling another wave of tiredness hit me even though I wanted to respond. "Can we talk about this later? I'm feeling awfully lightheaded."

His eyes widened before he grabbed my hand and pulled me down another empty hallway. "Sorry I'm too nosy. Pom said you needed sleep and I'm not helping."

"You're right to be curious."

"Not when you're about to drop on your feet."

I only hummed and let him lead us all the way to the Fat Lady. She looked surprised to see us coming to the Common Room while it was the start of third period. However Sirius wasn't concerned in the slightest, grinning at her before saying the password.

"Sherbet Lemons."

My eyebrows ruffled when the portrait swung to the side to let us in. "How do _you_ know that? _I_ haven't had a chance to be told about it yet."

He just winked. "I have my ways."

I just followed him through to the Common Room putting that aside to think about later- _after_ I'd gotten some sleep.

In the Common Room he turned to me, gaze nervous. "You're going to be alright?"

I watched him in drowsy amusement as he scratched the back of his neck. "Sure I am, just..."

He stepped closer as I struggled with my words, speaking softly. "I won't say anything. I promised didn't I?"

I couldn't met his eyes, grateful that he didn't seem offended at my wavering trust. "Thank you, well _again_."

He clasped my hand, tilting up my head with his other. "I hope you believe me when I say I don't beak my promises."

I struggled to get any words past my lips with his imploring gaze so I nodded, knowing I felt more vulnerable when I was tired. Thus feeling more suspicious of everything and everyone.

"Sorry."

"Don't apologise." He repeated, going to hold both of my hands. "I need to stop asking questions you don't want to answer. Anyway Pomfrey would have my neck if she knew you weren't in bed yet."

He looked mock-offended when I went to move to the girls staircase, pulling me back to pull me into a hug. "Don't worry, I've got your back."

I barley had time to realise it was a hug and wrap my arms around him when he stepped back, only a brief feeling of warmth telling me it had even happened. "Now go, _be free, go sleep._"

"You're not making sense." I couldn't help but mutter, turning around and walking when Sirius didn't respond.

He only kept a grin on his face and raised his eyebrows. "You gotta sleep, so go."

I stopped at the foot of the girls' staircase turning around when I remembered. "Look after my cat because if she dies, you die."

He only waved at me but his eyes showed glimmers of fear. "Right yeah, I know Moony has 'Berry so she'll be safe."

"Right." I should have kept her with me, I couldn't sleep without her around. She always looked out while I slept anyway.

She would have looked out while I was in the Greenhouses too.

"Sleep Faith."

The soft words snapped me out of my reflection and I looked over my shoulder to see the guy who helped me, smile on his face.

I never would have dreamed I would talk to him, never mind telling him a lick about what happened concerning _them_. Or out of any person in the school that he would help me.

"Bye Sirius."

His face softened, giving me a lame wave that I snorted at. I carried on trudging up the stairs until I couldn't feel his gaze on me anymore.

Going to the end of the hallway, I stood in indecision. McGonagall had said I was moving dorms but did she expect me to take my things out of the dorm? And where was Bertha and Ebony's dorm anyway?

I just wanted to _sleep_ for pete's sake.

Pushing open the door to the dorm I'd shared with the people who'd 'cornered' me earlier. I kept my gaze low as I trudged straight to my bed. Just having my gaze wander would bring back memories.

Bad memories.

...

_"__Hey Tarty-tart__! Wake-up!"_

_..._

_"Like are you stupid or something? You made me get a nine out of ten on purpose didn't you!?"_

_..._

_"__Guess who's waking up to tomato juice~?__"_

_..._

I shook the spiral of different memories from my head, wrapping my arms around myself. I still couldn't believe I'd left them— or even that Sirius knew a bit of the situation.

When my eyes finally found my bed, they widened. My cover I'd fixed before I'd left the dorm this morning wasn't there and neither was my chest for my clothes. My heart started racing and I immediately blamed those four. I wasn't a stranger to the original three hiding or taking my things whenever they felt like it.

My eyes began to prickle and I hated that I felt weak even though they _weren't_ here. I didn't know what I was doing anymore. Hanging out with Sirius? The darn _Marauders_?

I couldn't even move away from toxicity because _my stuff was gone_—

I was just about ready to pull my hair in a jumbled mess of frustration when I caught sight of a folded piece of scroll next to my headboard.

I angrily rubbed at my eyes before swiping the papyrus. I _hated _feeling weak, crying, and this _confusion_ while I just wanted to face-plant the ground wasn't helping.

My breath caught as I realised it was from McGonagall, her cursive script iconic:

**_Faith,_**

**_By the time this reaches you the house elves will have moved your belongings to Jorkins' dorm. It is four doors down from yours, on the right._**

**_Although I don't believe you were completely truthful in your explanation of how you were injured, as your Head of House my main concern is your safety._**

**_Even though I cannot force you, please alert me of any unsavoury behaviour. Hogwarts has a no-bullying policy and I ask of you to tell a teacher if you know of anything._**

**_Make sure you get sufficient rest before you think of going back to your lessons._**

**_With concern,_**

**_Minvera McGonagall._**

My eyes were swimming _again_ and I blamed it on my sleepy state; I didn't let out tears unless in pain otherwise. But the reason behind why I was feeling a rush of gratitude was something I would have felt affected by even in my normal state.

_She cared._

Not even that she believed _me_.

Having no more reason to stay in a room that just reminded me of the things that haunted my dreams, I left, pushing open the door for - hopefully - the last time.

At the start of the day, I didn't believe anyone would look my way— unless it was to ridicule me.

How wrong I was.

_Victori and Edward._

I'd made friends out of them, by _myself_. I _was _capable. Despite what I had been etched into me, the lies I'd been told.

_Bertha and Ebony._

They were people whose relationship was a complete opposite to the ones I used to be involved with. Not one with an angry atmosphere or fiery individuals who wouldn't let you say anything negative about their points. Healthy.

Filled with darn _laughter_.

But even though it took another attack by my ex friends for people to notice, I was glad Sirius had stumbled onto my path. He'd helped for the most and that was more than I could say for my ex-friends. Much more.

And with that thought I entered Ebony's dorm with a brief glance around before face palming the spare bed. More relaxed in this room I'd been in less than a minute than the one down the corridor I'd been in for years.

_Much more relaxed._


End file.
